


never not

by likeamiracle



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Chansoo fluff, Gen, chanhun friendship, ghost!chanyeol, just chansoo being soft about one another, sehun being adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-02
Updated: 2018-09-02
Packaged: 2019-07-05 22:43:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15873198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeamiracle/pseuds/likeamiracle
Summary: for takostation round 3, prompt # 34: “Kyungsoo can see spirits and his ‘roommate’ Chanyeol can’t stop dropping his favourite mug. Luckily, the mug’s made of plastic. A light-hearted fic of your friendly neighbourhood ghost and his new best bud.”Kyungsoo's mother always told him to "find someone that makes you wonder more about life." Kyungsoo just wasn't expecting it to be Park Chanyeol, his new roommate and resident ghost.





	never not

**Author's Note:**

> -to the prompter: i hope this fic does justice to your prompt. i fell in love with it as soon as i read it and i hope this lives up to your expectations. also i took “light-hearted fic” as an excuse to fill the story up with some fluff  
> -to the mods: thanks for handling everything and being helpful with my questions~ you guys are the best for running this whole thing  
> -to the readers: this is my first fic in a long, long while so i’m entirely unsure with how i feel about it but for the love of chansoo and exo, here goes nothing. hope you all have wonderful days and thank you for even reading this story, lovelies.

If papers could kill, then Do Kyungsoo was pretty sure that he would have been dead 3 weeks ago since his 10-page History of Romantic Literature paper was assigned. Now here he was, with 24 hours left till the deadline and only 3 pages written. Well, 3 1/2 pages if you counted the paragraph of random letters the History major was angrily typing to vent out some of the stress.

The sound of something hitting the floor broke Kyungsoo out of his typing frenzy. A soft gasp could be heard from the kitchen and a quick “I’m sorry, Soo! Don’t come in here!” soon followed. Kyungsoo sighed and figured he should take a break and see what his roommate was up to.

In the kitchen, Kyungsoo found Chanyeol trying to mop up a brown puddle of liquid on the kitchen floor with a bunch of paper towels. The coffee machine was left on and Kyungsoo spotted creamer and sugar set out on the counter.

“Chanyeol, were you making coffee?” Kyungsoo asked as he picked up the giant’s favorite mug from where it had rolled underneath one of the stools. 

“I tried to?” Chanyeol replied, voice lilting in the end. “I swear I didn’t mean to make a mess. I got shocked by how hot it was and then I lost focus and..” The giant’s hand phased out and phased back in the next second.

Kyungsoo nodded, looking into the said mug. “Well, I might as well wash it. Why were you making coffee?”

“I-I saw how stressed you were with your paper and I thought maybe I should help you. So I thought caffeine would be the best way, you know? I’m so sorry I distracted you though and made a mess but I promise I’ll be quiet and not cause more messes tonight!” The giant rushed through his explanation and Kyungsoo looked up from washing the mug to be met by one of his roommate’s killer puppy gazes. His heart couldn’t help but melt a little at that.

“Don’t worry about it, Yeol.” Kyungsoo softly smiled and Chanyeol immediately responded with his trademark grin. The one with all teeth and all charm. “Actually, do you want to play some music on the piano while I write my paper? Some background music might help me get this done faster.”

“I’d love to, Soo!”

~

Park Chanyeol was no ordinary roommate. First of all, he was extraordinarily tall or at least that’s what Kyungsoo thinks. It’s perfectly absurd to have that much height. Though it was perhaps useful for situations like reaching for pots on the top shelf of kitchen cabinets or whatever else tall people can do. Kyungsoo wouldn’t know.

Secondly, he was intensely enthusiastic, reminding Kyungsoo of an overgrown puppy or the summer season. It was only fitting that the giant’s favorite mug was this bright shade of yellow. Not the obnoxious sort of shade but rather a soft yellow like sunshine on the perfect day. Very fitting indeed. Chanyeol’s enthusiasm tended to extend to everything he does and it always amazed Kyungsoo how absolutely positive his roommate could be.

Thirdly, Chanyeol wasn’t exactly a person. Well let’s rephrase that. He wasn’t exactly alive.

Kyungsoo had met his roommate the first night he had moved in. Earlier that day, the landowner had warned him of a ghost that haunted his apartment or more specifically, a yellow mug in his apartment that would just keep coming back no matter how many times Mr. Choi had tried throwing it away. Kyungsoo had grown up being able to see ghosts and wasn’t spooked at all by this revelation. The weary college student could only hope that it was some nice ahjumma who wouldn’t disturb him when he was studying for finals.

He certainly wasn’t expecting his resident ghost to be a boy that looked about his age. He also wasn’t expecting said ghost to be very tall and very attractive with pretty eyes and elf-like ears. But that fact is neither here nor there. 

“Uh, what are you doing?” Kyungsoo asked tentatively. The ghost had jumped a bit, spilling the water in his yellow mug.

“Oh hi. You must be my new roommate! I’m Chanyeol, the friendly neighborhood ghost.” The giant had then smiled so widely that the college student found it hard not to smile back despite the strangeness of the situation.

“Kyungsoo.” was his short reply as he eyed the tiny puddle of water on the floor where Chanyeol had spilled and grabbed a couple of paper towels to clean up.

“Oh um I’m getting water for the cats down behind the building. They’re really thirsty so I hope you don’t mind.” Chanyeol explained, throwing in some puppy eyes in case his new roommate would say no.

“Oh yeah, okay.” Kyungsoo replied softly and shifted to the side to signal that Chanyeol could go. The ghost had then smiled even more widely and exited through the door. Kyungsoo was mildly disappointed, having expected Chanyeol to just disappear or do something more supernatural than simply walking through the front door.

His new roommate came back a few minutes later with an empty mug clutched tightly between his hands and a satisfied smile resting on his lips. Kyungsoo had already deposited himself at the dining table with his laptop and snacks. It was an awkward silence that reigned over the kitchen as the two regarded one another. Chanyeol was frankly confused at how calm Kyungsoo was taking everything with his curious doe eyes. He was expecting the usual reactions he got from the precious tenants who immediately left or freaked out upon Chanyeol’s appearance. He actually didn’t mean to introduce himself to his new roommate till maybe after a few days of observing the guy. 

Kyungsoo was frankly bemused if his new roommate really was a ghost, considering his behavior and lack of ghostly powers. Chanyeol looked fairly human standing there at the entrance of his (their?) kitchen. No otherworldly glow. No see-through skin. Though he supposed he had no right to judge so, considering he wasn’t an expert at how the whole ghost thing works.

“So what are you watching?” Chanyeol broke the silence, pointing at the paused video on Kyungsoo’s laptop screen. Kyungsoo looked at his screen and nearly laughed at how seemingly normal this conversation was.

“Buzzfeed Unsolved. It’s my favorite. Do you want to watch with me?” It wasn’t normal for Kyungsoo to extend offers like this to others, much less to a ghostly roommate that he had met a few minutes ago, but something seemed to tug at his heart that day. Chanyeol’s energetic smile at the offer only warmed Kyungsoo’s heart more that he didn’t even notice the coldness that came along with his roommate’s presence beside him.

It was somewhere between Kyungsoo’s explanation of the show and Chanyeol’s jokes and Kyungsoo’s snide commentary and Chanyeol’s loud laughter that the two built a friendship that night.  
~

Weeks seemed to fly by as Kyungsoo’s semester started and Chanyeol got used to living with a human roommate. Kyungsoo learned that Chanyeol loved playing instruments and let his roommate play the piano during the evenings that were too quiet. Chanyeol learned that Kyungsoo wasn’t a morning person at all and decided to start trying to help make breakfast whenever the History major was overloaded with papers. 

October soon flew in along with changing temperatures and leaves. Kyungsoo was busy making snacks for his regular Friday night tradition: watching Buzzfeed Unsolved with Chanyeol. Somehow from that first night they had developed a shared love for the show that grew to this little tradition of theirs. The weary college student in Kyungsoo was only happy to trade in loud bars and frat parties for the quiet of his living room and the comfortable company of a certain ghostly giant. Also, the irony of watching a show about supernatural creatures with an actual ghost never failed to amuse him. 

The slam of the door announced his roommate’s arrival. “Sorry, am I late? Sehun was holding me up and Mrs. Kim kept talking about the people in the next building.” Chanyeol explained as he rushed to take his seat on the couch. Kyungsoo slightly shivered as the air got colder around him.

“It’s fine. How was your neighborhood ghost meeting thing?” Kyungsoo asked as he wound his blanket tighter around his shoulders. 

“Great! Mostly just gossip though. I swear, Kyungsoo, all the ghost ahjummas just want to hold these gatherings to gossip about the neighborhood. Didn’t they gossip enough in their human lives?” Chanyeol whined. His doe-eyed companion just nodded along and waved the remote in the air as a sign for the start of their marathon.

The two fell to silence as the episode started. As the show started getting into the backstory of the particular haunt they were visiting, Kyungsoo was struck by curiosity about his own roommate’s backstory. Chanyeol’s life before he became a ghost was a topic the two haven’t ventured to yet. 

“Hey, Yeol. How’d you become you?” The question was met by Chanyeol’s confused expression. “I mean, you know- do you remember your life before this and how you came to this one?”

Chanyeol continued to be silent though his expression changed to a more thoughtful one. Kyungsoo paused the episode, guilt and embarrassment starting to fill him. Why’d he ask such a thoughtless question? Might as well could have just said, ‘Hey Chanyeol. Can you tell me how you died?’ “Actually never mind. That was stupid of me to ask. Sorry-“

“I don’t remember honestly.” Chanyeol’s answer broke through Kyungsoo’s rambling. “I mostly just remember random stuff from my life.” 

Kyungsoo studied Chanyeol’s face as he talked. He didn’t look upset at all but he didn’t look happy either. “Oh, stuff like what?” The smaller boy ventured to ask. 

“I loved music. Listening to it and playing it and learning it. I guess, my dream was to do something related to music. My mom ran a restaurant I think. She used to cook a lot of pasta for us. It’s why I love watching you when you’re cooking kimchi spaghetti or anything actually. It reminds me of her.” Chanyeol turned to Kyungsoo then and smiled at him. Chanyeol’s smiles were always so bright that it rendered Kyungsoo speechless for a couple of seconds and made him question which of them was actually alive. 

“Oh, I also had this dog. Well I had a ferret before that but the ferret died so I got Toben. Short for Beethoven.” Chanyeol perked up more as he continued talking about his former pet. “He was a black tiny poodle. He was the most adorable thing, Soo! He loved to run around and all.”

As Chanyeol chattered on, Kyungsoo noticed the look of longing in his roommate’s eyes. And because of his soft spot for Chanyeol, he hatched a plan in his head for the next weekend.

~

In hindsight, Kyungsoo realized he should have thought through his plan better. Here he was on a Saturday morning, fresh from a visit to his parents’ home last night with his two dogs in tow. Huchu and Meokmul were currently overexcited and fighting the loosening hold their owner had on their leashes. It wasn’t a lack of weakness on Kyungsoo’s part but rather a lack of more arms as he held on to the dogs’ leashes with one hand and carried a bag full of their things with the other. 

“Hey.” A voice shyly called out from Kyungsoo’s side and he turned to see Chanyeol’s friend, Sehun, watching him and his two hyper dogs. Sehun was the other ghost that lived in this apartment complex and Kyungsoo’s only ever conversed with him a couple of times.

“Oh hi, Sehun-ah!” The stressed dog owner tried to give a weak smile in greeting but his attention was quickly stolen away by Meokmul attacking the plant by the elevator. 

“Do you need help, Kyungsoo-hyung?” The teenage ghost drew nearer and stared hesitantly at the two black poodles meandering around. The two stopped sniffing everything to stare back at the ghost.

“Yeah! That’ll be great honestly.” Meokmul and Huchu’s leashes were handed over to Sehun and Kyungsoo sighed in relief as he pressed the button for the elevator.

“Did you always have dogs, hyung?” Sehun asked.

“I got them about a couple of years ago. Couldn’t bring them over when I moved here for uni but I figured I’ll let them stay over for a couple of weeks.” For Chanyeol was the unspoken ending of that sentence. Kyungsoo was already wondering how excited his roommate would be when he shows up to their apartment.

“Is it for Chanyeol-hyung?” Sehun asked, seemingly innocent as he watched his favorite hyung’s favorite person get flustered.

“W-well… partly? I mean I missed my dogs too. So it’s not like. Not like-“ Kyungsoo stuttered out, eyes widening more and more. Sehun’s laugh filled the awkward space that followed and Kyungsoo pointedly rushed into the elevator as it reached the ground floor.

“I think it’s really nice of you, hyung.” The ghost had piped up again when the elevator started heading up. Kyungsoo finally looked over to his companion who had crouched over to pat the two overexcited poodles. “Chanyeol hyung always talks about how nice you are and how happy he is you’re his roommate. He always complains about how the neighborhood ahjummas talk his ear off about their residents but he talks my ear off about you.”

Kyungsoo didn’t know whether he wanted to smile like an idiot or be swallowed up by the elevator floor. He settled for slowly looking at Sehun who managed the miracle of calming his two tornadoes. “Wow Sehun. How are you so good with the puppies?” The stressed dog owner asked, partly curious and partly trying to divert from the topic that had flustered him so much. 

“I used to have a dog.” The teenager answered and his expression took on that fond longing that Kyungsoo had seen on Chanyeol a week ago. What was it with this building and young, dog-loving ghosts? Sehun began to launch into an excited monologue about his former beloved dog, Vivi.

“And hyung, she used to do this thing where-“ The ghost paused as the elevator’s automated voice announced their arrival to Kyungsoo’s floor. “Oh sorry, Kyungsoo-hyung. Did I talk too much?”

Kyungsoo merely waved his hand in a dismissive manner. “It was nice hearing about Vivi. Thanks for sharing, Sehunnie.” 

The teenage ghost had smiled so widely in response that Kyungsoo had to fight the urge to ruffle his hair in affection. They both were smiling as they walked up to Kyungsoo’s door. From outside they could hear the sound of Chanyeol singing along to the radio and both found themselves smiling more fondly due to their shared affection for the ghost giant. 

“Well hyung…” Sehun turned over the leashes to Kyungsoo’s hands. “Thanks for letting me come along and see your dogs. I’m sure Chanyeol hyung would be so happy seeing these two.” 

The college student profusely thanked Sehun and the ghost waved once more at Huchu and Meokmul before disappearing down the hallway. Before he moved to the floor he usually occupied (the teenage ghost hated the term “haunted”), he heard the sound of a cup hitting the floor, an overly enthusiastic “Kyungsoo, I love you!”, and two puppies yapping their heads off. Sehun only smiled to himself as he could perfectly picture the hilarious scene happening a few doors away in Apartment 612.

~  
It had been months now since Chanyeol and Kyungsoo became roommates and the end of Kyungsoo’s junior year had finally arrived along with the heat of summer. The history major was currently out with friends celebrating the end of exams but he had promised his roommate that he’ll be back by midnight to drink tea and watch shows in a more private celebration.

In characteristic enthusiasm, the giant had taken it upon himself to spice up their weekly hangout by moving the couches to spread blankets and pillows on the floor and decorating the living room with fairy lights. The said lights were “borrowed” from the elderly couple in Apartment 1009’s Christmas stash who were currently vacationing somewhere in Hawaii according to the ghost ahjummas. Chanyeol promised he’ll return it by the end of this weekend or he could get Sehun to do it.

By the time it had hit 11:55 PM, the ghost was pretty pleased with his work since the room looked something straight out of that Pin-thingo website Kyungsoo goes on to look for recipes and interior design ideas. Chanyeol really wanted the evening to be special since his roommate was leaving for his hometown for three weeks before his internship started. The giant really dreaded the goodbye despite knowing his roommate will be back in no time.

“Hey, Yeol! Oh wow.“ Kyungsoo entered the apartment louder than usual, breaking the giant from his thoughts. Chanyeol looked up to see his roommate taking in the room with wide eyes. The college student looked much younger in this light as if all the stress and lack of sleep from the past week had just melted away to wonder and happiness. 

Kyungsoo shifted his gaze from the lights to the beautiful supernatural being in the middle of it. He had always believed his roommate was someone special, someone magic, someone wholly more alive than his current state would suggest. 

“Did you do all this?” The college student whispered as if afraid to break the atmosphere around them. Chanyeol nodded and patted the space beside him. Kyungsoo quickly settled into the spot, soon wrapped up in a warm blanket and settled against his roommate’s figure. 

“Thank you.” Kyungsoo said softly, breaking the silence once again. Chanyeol smiled at that.

“I wanted to make our last Friday together special.” The ghost explained, eyes focused on the patterns of the blanket over his lap.

“It’s not our last Friday forever, Chanyeollie.” The college student said, slightly amused. 

“I know but…” Chanyeol hesitated as he finally looked up to meet Kyungsoo’s gaze which held nothing but patience as he waited for the giant to continue. “I’ll miss you.” The college student’s face broke out into a smile and for a ghost, Chanyeol swore he never felt more alive than that moment as the lucky recipient of Do Kyungsoo’s fond gaze and happy expression. 

“I’ll miss you too, Chanyeol.”

~  
Sometime during the evening, Chanyeol had plucked up the courage to ask the question that’s been in his head for a while.

“Soo, what’s gonna happen when you graduate?” He tried to make his tone as casual as possible, staring pointedly at the lights hanging above. He could definitely feel Kyungsoo’s gaze on him though.

“Well I’m not sure yet. I want to get a job here.” Kyungsoo paused and Chanyeol finally decided to take a look at his roommate’s face and was caught by Kyungsoo’s soft smile at him. “I like it here.”

“And after that?” The ghost whispered.

“After that…” The college major looked at his roommate confusedly and the hesitant expression on Chanyeol’s face made Kyungsoo pause as he realized what Chanyeol feared. Before Kyungsoo had been a flurry of scared residents who left or shooed away the giant who had honestly just wanted a friend. 

Kyungsoo smiled more assuredly and took Chanyeol’s cold hand into his own warm ones. “Well I guess you could find out along with me. Haunt me for the rest of my life.”

The giant smiled so happily and replied teasingly, “And after that?” 

“After that. Maybe I could join you in all your ghostly adventures.”

**Author's Note:**

> aaaahhh thank you so so much for reading this story. also never not by lauv was very much played on repeat while i wrote the last scene hence the title. happy takoyaki fest for all!!  
> also bonus headcanons i had thought of but couldn’t fit in during this story:  
> -kyungsoo’s neighbors are a pair of widows who dote on him to no end whenever they see him. they keep offering him meals for “him and his boyfriend, the one who plays piano and laughs so loudly.”  
> -the neighborhood ghost meetings actually start 30 minutes earlier than chanyeol thinks because the ahjummas want to discuss him and ksoo. sehun is well aware of this considering he was the one who started it along with mrs choi  
> -ksoo eventually finds a sky blue cup to match chanyeol’s
> 
> feel free to leave comments~ i would love love love to read them


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